At this point, I'd be a lot more interested to hear what the courts have to
say. The courts blocked Tom Wheeler's attempt to mandate neutrality, when
Wheeler was trying to do so while broadband was classified under Title I. This
time around, the courts can and should do the same thing, simply because
broadband service *is* a telecom service, a common carrier. The courts should
simply say, stop, FCC, we have long standing rules that guarantee neutrality of
common carriers, and you're overstepping your authority by attempting to
overturn those rules.
"FCC officials speaking on background told reporters that many millions of
those were duplicates and that if they simply expressed and opinion rather than
raising new facts, they weren't generally much use anyway."
Sorry, FCC, even that makes no sense. Even if the letters were copies, this
would be no different from when people sign petitions. Same text, signed by
many people, to show they agree with that text. The letters demonstrate that
there is overwhelming support for a neutrality mandate, no matter how you twist
your words. So, try again with your excuses.
"The order repeals bright-line rules against blocking, throttling and paid
prioritization, replacing them with an enhanced transparency regime via which
ISPs would have to declare whether they were doing any of those things and then
the Justice Department could decide if they were anticompetitive and the
Federal Trade Commission could sue them if they did not do what they said they
were doing, or not doing."
Oh, and this would really be an improvement. So, when the special interests
behave as they always have done as legacy MVPDs, we have to wait for years to
let multiple branches of government weigh in and make things right again. Even
worse, we have to trust the broadband providers to openly disclose when they
are throttling and blocking sites. Borders on idiotic.
Looking forward to the courts striking back.
Bert
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.multichannel.com/news/fcc/fccs-net-rule-rollback-roils-foes/416733
FCC's 'Net Rule Rollback Roils Foes
Strong action generates equal and opposite reaction
11/21/2017 4:12 PM Eastern
By: John Eggerton
The FCC's sweeping order sweeping away most net neutrality regs in favor of a
heightened transparency requirement enforced by Justice and the Federal Trade
Commission, has drawn equally sweeping statements in opposition.
Writers from both coasts clobbered the decision.
""The FCC has delivered a death blow to the Internet as we know it," said
Writers Guild of America East in a statement, using the past tense to describe
the open net they suggested will now be closed. "a place where culturally and
economically diverse voices shared equal opportunity and where wealthy,
powerful gatekeepers didn't get to decide what people read and watch. Millions
of Americans spoke in strong support of net neutrality and the FCC has ignored
them all."
"Chairman Pai's plan to end net neutrality is yet another step on the path
towards total corporate control of the Internet," said the Writers Guild of
America, West. "[FCC Chairman AJit] Pai's intention to gut net neutrality rules
has been evident since day one, and the rulemaking process has completely
ignored the overwhelming public support for these rules and the unequivocal
benefits of an open Internet. In what is quickly becoming a hallmark of this
administration, this order will benefit powerful corporations at the expense of
the general public and a competitive, free market.
Without the rules, ISPs will be free to decide what content is available to
Americans and on what terms, striking a blow to consumers and content creators
alike."
FCC officials speaking on background told reporters that many millions of those
were duplicates and that if they simply expressed and opinion rather than
raising new facts, they weren't generally much use anyway.
"The reckless wrecking ball strikes again," said Mike Copps, former FCC
chairman and currently a special advisor to Common Cause. "FCC Chairman Ajit
Pai's scorched-earth plan for net neutrality displays callous disregard for
both process and substance. The Chairman's plan to do away with net neutrality
will be a disaster for consumers and yet another handout for big business."
Former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, whose 2015 Open Internet Order is on the
chopping block, also weighed in. Wheeler, now a Brookings Institute fellow,
said Pai's proposal "raises hypocrisy to new heights," explaining: "They are
'protecting consumers' by disavowing responsibility to do just that. They are
providing for 'better regulation' by giving authority to the FTC which has no
regulatory authority. They are walking away from the clear statutory mandate to
oversee telecommunications services by cleverly saying local internet delivery
is not a telecommunications service."
"A Net Neutrality repeal would remove one of the very few most important first
amendment protections communities of color have today, at a time when free
speech protections are more important than ever," said Malkia Cyril, executive
director at the Center for Media Justice. "The right to speak and be heard; the
ability to seek opportunity, stay connected, and protest injustice -- these are
core civil rights. In a digital age, protecting core civil rights means
enforcing, not repealing, Title II Net Neutrality."
"This Order is a full-scale repeal of net neutrality," said Sarah Morris,
director of Open Internet Policy for New America's Open Technology Institute."
The order repeals bright-line rules against blocking, throttling and paid
prioritization, replacing them with an enhanced transparency regime via which
ISPs would have to declare whether they were doing any of those things and then
the Justice Department could decide if they were anticompetitive and the
Federal Trade Commission could sue them if they did not do what they said they
were doing, or not doing.
"If passed, the FCC will be stripping away critical protections that give
people the freedom to access the entirety of the internet, effectively letting
internet access be sold away to the highest corporate bidders," said Morris.
"If you hate the cable model of content distribution, or think your current
internet bills are too high, hold on tight because the internet is about to
become more like cable with more hidden fees stemming out of pay-for-play deals
for content delivery, and sneaky tolls on certain companies. The repeal of net
neutrality will impact every aspect of the internet, from the way we access
content and consume news, to the way we organize against and engage in the
democratic process."
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